BAAC Cross Country championships 2nd April reminder

Hi all,

just a reminder that BAAC has our cross country championships in
Cranford Park on Sunday the 2nd of April with a start time of 10.30.
Any member or non-member can run, all we ask is please be there no later
than 10:15 so the timekeepers have time to register you. The event
is two laps for the ladies and three laps for the men {Ed:
about 5k and 7.5k respectively}.

We are also looking for some marshals and timekeepers, if anybody is
interested can you please let me know.

BAAC Membership Renewal - BA Clubs

British Airways AC membership expires on 31-Mar-17, and renewals are
requested to be paid from 1-Apr-17. The Membership Subscription remains at the princely sum of £9 (GBP) for the
2017-2018 year. Members who also wish to affiliate to UK Athletics need to include an
additional £14 for 2017-2018 (a £1 increase), making a total of £23. (ref:
http://www.englandathletics.org/athletics-clubs/club-affiliation). Ideally, please setup a standing order for 1-Apr yearly, or electronic
payment, and advise the Treasurer/Membership Sec by email.

These are challenging times for BA Clubs since they no longer get financial
support from the airline. There have been changes recently and there are more to
come, particularly from 1st June. Members are advised to pay membership on
a monthly basis. The annual BA Clubs membership for non-BA staff or
community members is £78 though it can be payable by monthly direct
debit collections of £6.50. Once you have officially retired the annual fee
drops to £36 annually for BA retired staff (slightly more for non-BA retirees).
Please advise the BAAC Membership secretary
Alan Friar
(a.friar1@ntlworld.com) if your BA Clubs' status changes (we get very
embarrassed if BA Clubs tells us that one of our "full" members is no longer a
BA Clubs' member).

After the Equinox 10k on April 12th we'll hold an open forum to discuss the
changes to BA Clubs and what they may mean to us.

Roderick Hoffman (acting Chair)

March Five Mile Handicap Reminder

The following table shows start times for Wednesday's run:

Mar-17

Handicap

Start Time (for a 19:00 finish)

Gary Rushmer

00:32:00

18:28:00

Steve Taylor

00:40:30

18:19:30

Roderick Hoffman

00:44:00

18:16:00

Trish McCabe

00:44:00

18:16:00

Harry Wild

00:39:30

18:20:30

Richard Ruffell

00:33:30

18:26:30

Benita Scaife

00:46:30

18:13:30

John Scaife

00:46:30

18:13:30

Steve Hillier

00:47:30

18:12:30

Tony Barnwell

00:54:30

18:05:30

Neil Frediani

00:39:30

18:20:30

Alan Anderson

00:55:30

18:04:30

Alan Friar

00:46:00

18:14:00

Dennis Foxley

00:43:30

18:16:30

Chris Kelly

00:38:00

18:22:00

Simon Turton

00:41:00

18:19:00

Ed: Paul will remind others of their previous performances
and set start times as appropriate.

We have now run five of the six events in the series so those having already run the first
five may be looking drop their worst event, and those having run less than five
will look to close the gap and overtake others.

What will the sixth event on March
29th produce? See you on Wednesday.

Paul Brandon

PS after the event we'll retire to the Queen's Head for discounted food and
drink.

RunTogether at Heston Venue at 18:30 on 5th April

On Wednesday 5th April we will have our first RunTogether event at the club.
We don't yet know if there will be anyone new to the club at the session but
this is what we have planned:

The session is from 18:30 to 19:00 or soon after. Clara Halket and I
will be on hand - we are both UK Athletics accredited to lead such sessions
(just, in my case).

From 18:30 we'll have a warm-up / welcome exercise on the field near the
changing rooms. This won't be intense so we'll recommend that any club
runner wanting to get some mileage should do an initial run before the start -
laps of the field or even a lap of the 3.6 mile "round-the-block" course.
You can then join in the welcome session.

From 18:40 we'll have the main exercise which for twenty minutes will feature
repetitions on the field - focused on the capability of each individual but with
a side-by-side element to encourage participants to push themselves.

At 19:00 participants can either join a formal low intensity warm-down OR do
their own warm-down round the field (this week it should remain light well
towards 19:30).

Marathon Training Reminder

Well it’s about a month away now from the London Marathon and everyone should
be doing their last long runs about now before a steady taper to ensure that you
get to the start line in good shape, with the mileage now banked in the legs !

Too many runners, particularly marathon first timers seem to think that
more and more miles right up to the day, without proper recoveries, needs to
be done …a too frequent major mistake. No problem in more running, it may
feel strange, but keep it to shorter distances with maybe a bit of careful
speed work or just practicing your race day pace !

Start to think about your race day nutrition before, during and after –
don’t wait until the day – remember on the day you’ll be up early,
travelling up hours before and hanging around before the start – what are
your breakfast plans ?

Have you got your transport plan getting there in place …and for after,
with ‘knackered legs’ !!!

Make sure you’ve got comfy shoes and kit all sorted – don’t try new gear
on the day.

What provision have you for the bits that rub and get sore ????
BodyGlide anti-chaff etc., or grab some Vaseline on route ?

Perhaps arrange a sports massage about a week before, and one a few days
after ?

And OMG, I have found more and more runners chat about going to the
toilet before and during the 26.2 – well just as a reassurance there are
trillions of loos at Blackheath and plenty on route so no problem there to
go as many times as you like !

Plenty of things to think about above other than the actual running - has
anyone got any more comments to help our long distancers whether it be London or
another of the many Springtime marathons ?

Joe Nolan

Club parkrun results for Saturday 25th March

25th March

family & friends

time

parkrun

commentary

grade

Barry

Walters

21:02

Didcot

age cat rec, club course rec

77%

Kerstin

Luksch

21:11

Gunnersbury

F-2, run #217

71%

Steve

Dodsworth

21:56

Sunderland

club course record

69%

Jonathan

Cox

22:12

Crane Park

run #305

70%

Chris

Kelly

22:18

Reading

run #331

67%

James

Shoulder

22:36

Bedfont Lakes

run #13

57%

Linda

Dodsworth

24:59

Sunderland

club course record (F)

64%

Piers

Keenleyside

25:07

Gunnersbury

run #161, 114th at Gunsbury

64%

Ian

Cunningham

25:42

Homewood

1st run at Homewood

59%

Steve

Taylor

25:51

Northala Fields

run #60

59%

John

Coffey

25:52

Bushy Park

best run at Bushy this year

73%

Roderick

Hoffman

25:56

Lowestoft

park #188, Bapark #327

60%

Alice

Banks

29:18

Homewood

1st run at Homewood

65%

John

Lennon

29:26

Bedfont Lakes

run #246

53%

Caroline

Wilson

29:36

Waterworks, BFS

run #22, 12th at Waterworks

52%

Claire

Killen

29:37

Waterworks, BFS

run #35, 18th at Waterworks

54%

Benita

Scaife

30:30

Maidenhead

run #67

64%

John

Scaife

30:31

Maidenhead

run #80

54%

Alan

Anderson

31:02

Gunnersbury

run #450

69%

Kevin

Holland

31:03

Poole

run #75, 25th at Poole

56%

Caroline

Cockram

31:52

Bedfont Lakes

run #265

51%

David

Duggan

32:49

Bedfont Lakes

run #193

48%

Sarah

Gordon

33:00

Leicester Victoria

12th run at Leicester Victoria

58%

Steve

Newell

36:06

Gunnersbury

run #258

50%

Kathryn

Keenleyside

40:00

Gunnersbury

run #25

48%

Alastair

Heslop

volunteer

Guildford

finish token support

Ian

Cockram

volunteer

Bedfont Lakes

run director

Trish

McCabe

volunteer

Bedfont Lakes

marshal

Tom

Rowley

volunteer

Woking

marshal

Joan

Foxley

volunteer

Harrow

barcode scanning

This was the last week of the club's membership year when everyone has to
decide whether they want to continue being a member or consign themselves to be
'former members'. Linda and Steve Dodsworth have been representing us
almost every week somewhere in the North of England and they have certainly put
us on the map. They have been finding it rather lonely with very little
contact with any other club members and they have decided to leave us. We
wish them well. They signed off in style, both recording pbs at Sunderland
to leave us with these club records; - Steve Dodsworth (21:56) and Linda
Dodsworth (24:59).

Going forward it would make my task easier if anyone wishing to leave the
project lets us know THIS WEEK. All those staying with us (unless they are a
member of another club) can help by ensuring that British Airways AC is included
in their parkrun profile.

A great run this week by Barry Walters (21:02) who travelled to Didcot for
the first time and set a new age category and a club course record by a wide
margin. John Coffey (25:52) was in his best form of the year so far at
Bushy Park. He is up to 6th place in the MV75 all time list at Bushy Park
now. Roderick Hoffman (25:56) was just four seconds slower at Lowestoft,
the most easterly parkrun in England. [Ed: I've sorted the
table this week on finish time to show the tightness of the midpack runners -
Ian Cunningham at the tough Homewood course nine seconds ahead of Steve Taylor
at Northala who was himself a long neck ahead of John Coffey at Bushy who was
four seconds ahead of Roderick at the fast Lowestoft course]

Kevin Holland (31:03) was at Poole, part of an attendance of 868 just two
short of the all time record there. There is talk of a new parkrun
starting nearby soon to ease the pressure a bit.

Next Saturday is 1st April and the traditional morning for practical jokes.
Joe Nolan will be hoping his pacing squad maintain discipline and stick rigidly
to their normal schedules [Joe adds "we did think of
playing an April Fool prank, maybe starting the pacers in reverse order, but
have decided to be prudent and stick to the correct order ...but there again who
knows how any individual flag bearer may misbehave !! "]. Pacing help now extends to runners wanting to
achieve anything between 19 and 40 minutes, even those who like to mix running
and walking.

Compass Points

Steve is correct to point out that Lowestoft is the most Easterly parkrun in
the UK but my reason for doing it was quite the opposite - it is the only
parkrun in the UK to include the word "WEST" in its name. Within the UK
I've now run at all the points of the compass - at Eastleigh (the only other
"EAST" is Eastbourne), South Oxhey (and others), Northala Fields (and others)
and yesterday LoWESToft parkrun. And for the centre of the rose I've also
run at Chelmsford Central. Lowestoft has a fast course - the prevailing
wind on the promenade is from the north and the course starts with a wide start
then a 600m due south section before doing two loops. The loop includes a
sharp 20m climb but this was sheltered from the wind so one got more of the
benefit of the gradual descent to speed one on. On the second loop this
descent is down towards the finish.

Roderick Hoffman

Looking ahead over the next few weeks Steve and I have a few London parkrun tourist visits
lined up and you'd be welcome to join us for any of these:

1st April - Rickmansworth

8th April - Roding Valley [nb: this is with the intention of getting
back to nearby Pymmes before their birthday cake runs out]

22nd April - Osterley Park [nb: Geoff Miles has now advised that they will be
back on the three lap course by that date BUT I can confirm that ALL of the
potholes and loose gravel sections of the course have been improved beyond
recognition (but the tree roots are still there)].

Sponsorship Options

Please consider making a donation to one or more of the following...

Wings for Life World Run:

Alice Banks and Roderick Hoffman are both running the Wings for Life
World Run on May 7th from Cambridge (other locations are available!).
This is the event where we have a thirty minute head start and then
David Coulthard starts chasing us down in a car. All the expenses are
covered by Red Bull and other sponsors so 100% of our personal entry
fees and all donations go towards research into Spinal Injuries and
cures.

London Marathon:

I seem to have become addicted to running the London marathon, well
this will be my 3rd in 3 years so not in the same league as some in the
club but I started late. This will probably be my last London, I would
like to try some others before it is too late, so I would like to mark
it by raising money for Alzheimer’s Research UK which is I am sure a
cause which we can all believe in.

Some
years ago I decided to run my first marathon this year as I pass the age
of 60 but I started 2 years earlier which means that I have learnt some
lessons and now feel that I am ready to run what I hope will be my best
ever time. 2 years ago I came home in 4:42, last year in 4:02 and I am
looking for a modest improvement this time to get me to 3:55. Recently I
knocked 5mins off my half marathon time from last year and training has
been going well.

Please help me mark this event by raising money for Alzheimer’s
Research UK . This is a brilliant charity tackling the causes of
dementia. Amazingly at £24 billion each year, dementia costs the UK
economy more than cancer and heart disease combined but over two thirds
of the care for Dementia patients is paid for by themselves or their
family.

And from our Rowling Reporter...

Woking Five

I went along to the Woking 5 mile event ran around the outskirts of
The Fairoaks Airport. It is all XC starting/finishing at the
airport with a run around Horsell common thro’ the woods nicely shielded
from the wind then out into the open crossing the open airfield passing
McClaren's formula 1 building also where the Martians landed in the HG
Wells "War of the Worlds" (they have since moved on).

Paul Watt and Julie Barclay still trying to shake of their injuries
and get motivated again managed the flat course in comfort with out any
pressure then dashed off to work by 2.00pm. Paul ran 40:30 with
Julie 10 seconds back in 40:40 being shielded from the wind by Paul.
Quite a nice course, chip timed, although no mud today plus immediate
results and presentations. There were 200 to 300 entrants.

The race started at 10.00 and the wind ceased at 10.40.40, so Julie
said.

Not official times yet.

Tom Rowley

Do you know The Way?

This
photo is loosely connected to running as it is situated in Richmond Park
(Petersham End) about 100m from the start/finish of the Surrey Men's and
Ladies' cross country courses. It is kept closed to prevent the Deer from
entering, to protect the vegetation. I saw this when supporting
the ladies last year and it was immediate food to my warped sense of humour. On the day I asked Helen/Monica "Do they knew the
way?" They answered "NO" so I pointed it out to them and they both
found the way.

Since then it has caused me many sleepless nights. Thinking if you
know the way, you can’t get lost - so if in the middle of
the Sahara and someone asks if you know the way - "No problem", "It’s in
Richmond Park". I kept amusing myself thinking now I know the way
can I make a fortune?

I
gave in and looked in the Oxford Dictionary - WOW!! there is half
a page full of Way’s - check in out, there are "No way", "all the way",
"this way", "that way" - over a hundred but “THE WAY” in Richmond Park
is the one with a gate.

Hope this piece of useless information helps
you find other ways.

The Enigma

Ed: My take on "The Way" is that you can never be
lost, provided you know "The Way Back".

Running Shorts

I ran my first marathon as a 60 year old today! The Queen Elizabeth
Spring Marathon. The South Downs were glorious in the spring sunshine and
the trails were never too muddy! I ditched 1kg from my backpack and ran with
just 6kg - finished in a time of 5:00:09 which I was quite pleased with (but
shame about those last 9 seconds!) considering the pack and over 3,600 feet
of climb. The taper for MdS (assuming the doctors let me run) begins now -
with a day "off" next Sunday for the Alexander The Great Marathon in
Thessaloniki! Piers Keenleyside

Cranford Park are still progressing their application
for a Lottery Funding. They are hoping to submit their funding bid in
August. A lot of work remains to be done, including proving that the park is
sufficiently used and is supported by the community. As part of this,
we'll be carrying out a consultation at the Tesco Bull's Bridge Extra (Hayes
Road, near A312 Hayes by-pass) on Saturday April 8, from 9am- 3pm. All club
members in the vicinity please drop by and see what they are proposing (and
ask them again about running facilities to demonstrate the demand).

Take care if you are running through Osterley Park over
the next couple of weeks. Beware of the dinosaurs!